Men's wedding wear 2026–27: bandhgalas, sherwanis and quieter embroidery
What grooms and guests will wear this wedding season: slimmer sherwanis, velvet and tonal bandhgalas, Nehru jackets, deep jewel tones and rupee price bands.
For menswear, the Indian wedding season is the biggest selling window of the year. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) estimated that the 2025 season, from 1 November to 14 December, would see about 46 lakh weddings and ₹6.5 lakh crore of spending, with apparel and sarees taking around a tenth of it. Most of those weddings have several functions, and men now dress for each one rather than wearing a single suit throughout.
This edit brings together what designers showed at India Couture Week 2026, recent groomwear guides from Indian retailers, and Forecut's own detail tracking for Festive 26 (October 2026 to February 2027). It is written for designers, brands and manufacturers planning ranges for grooms, close family and guests.
The big idea: polish over ornament
The clearest shift is away from head-to-toe embellishment. Aza Fashions' September 2026 groomwear outlook describes slimmer sherwanis with clean cuts and structured shoulders, closed-collar bandhgalas and restrained, tone-on-tone embroidery. Esquire India's August 2026 review of India Couture Week pointed to fluid tailoring, dramatic drapes and unexpected layering, with Anamika Khanna showing a clean ivory set with gold work and Kunal Rawal focusing on layering. Tarun Tahiliani and JJ Valaya kept the classic, regal look alive for those who still want it.
For most brands, the commercial message is simple: the fabric, the fit and the finish now do more of the work than the embroidery. That suits manufacturers too, because it shifts cost from hand-work hours to pattern quality and cloth.
Bandhgalas lead the evening
The bandhgala, or Jodhpuri, is the strongest single garment for receptions and evening functions. Forecut tracks two versions rising into this season. Tone-on-tone bandhgalas use embroidery in the same colour as the cloth, so they look rich without looking loud. Velvet bandhgalas in bottle green, navy and burgundy are the winter-wedding piece, and a collar brooch or statement button is the easy finishing detail.
Sherwanis get slimmer and lighter in colour
The sherwani remains the groom's main look, but the shape is cleaner and closer to the body. For day weddings, ivory and pastel sherwanis in ivory, mint and powder shades are at their peak. Ivory also stayed on the India Couture Week runway, now joined by deeper reds and blush pinks.
Nehru jackets and kurta sets for the other functions
Mehendi, haldi and sangeet call for lighter dressing, and this is where most guest spending goes. Brocade and Chanderi Nehru jackets over a kurta or shirt are a steady peak, while contrast-piped Nehru jackets are the emerging detail to test. Linen and cotton-silk kurta sets, straight trousers in place of fitted churidars, and draped dhoti pants for the sangeet complete the picture. Aza's guide also suggests Indo-western options such as a draped kurta with tailored trousers.
Colour
- Evening: deep emerald, oxblood, midnight blue, forest green and rust, according to Aza Fashions.
- Day: ivory, cream with gold, and pastels for haldi and mehendi.
- Tonal dressing: one shade from head to toe, such as beige, with matching stole and footwear.
Accessories that lift the look
Retailers advise letting one or two accessories lead rather than all of them at once. The main ones are brooches, a safa, a stole or dupatta, a kada or layered chains, pocket squares and statement buttons. On the feet, pointed juttis and mojaris remain the classic pairing, with loafers for receptions.
Price bands in India
Indicative retail bands in rupees (Forecut estimates) for value, mid and premium ranges:
| Item | Value ₹ | Mid ₹ | Premium ₹ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nehru jacket | 1,299–2,499 | 3,000–7,500 | 15,000+ |
| Bandhgala suit | 4,999–9,999 | 15,000–40,000 | 75,000+ |
| Sherwani set | 6,999–14,999 | 20,000–60,000 | 1,25,000+ |
What to do this season
- Build each groom look around one hero piece (sherwani or bandhgala) and sell the stole, brooch and juttis as add-ons.
- Offer the same bandhgala block in velvet for evening and in a lighter suiting or silk for day, to control pattern cost.
- Replace all-over embroidery with tonal work at the collar, placket and cuffs.
- Give guests a complete Nehru jacket and kurta set at a mid price, since they buy for several functions.
- Check fit carefully: slimmer, structured shoulders leave less room to hide poor patterns.
